As per Airport Authority of India (AAI) data between January and July 2025, Mangaluru airport reported movement of 14.37 lakh passengers (both domestic and international).
| Photo Credit: File photo
Three of the six tier-II airports in Karnataka handled more passengers in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. These are Mangaluru, Hubballi and Shivamogga airports.
As per Airport Authority of India (AAI) data between January and July 2025, Mangaluru reported movement of 14.37 lakh passengers (both domestic and international) while Hubballi and Shivamogga airports, which operate only domestic flights, handled 2.12 lakh and 94,291 passengers, respectively.
During the same period in 2024, Mangaluru catered to 12.64 lakh passengers while Hubballi and Shivamogga airports handled 1.80 lakh and 47,494 passengers, respectively.
While Mangaluru recorded a growth of 13.6% in 2025 compared to the previous year, Hubballi and Shivamogga airports recorded a growth of 17.8% and 98.5%, respectively.
Dip in footfall
The AAI data also showed that three airports Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru catered to lesser passengers in 2025 compared to 2024.
In 2025, Belagavi airport handled 1.81 lakh passengers compared to 2.10 lakh passengers in 2024 which translates into a 13. 8% decrease in passenger traffic.
In 2025, Kalaburagi airport handled 13,170 passengers compared to 28,670 passengers in 2024 which translates into a 54% decrease in passenger traffic.
Bidar airport, which stopped commercial flight operations, resumed flight services in April 2025. The airport handled 8,511 passengers till July.
The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, the busiest airport in Karnataka, handled 25.53 million passengers in 2025 against 23.83 million passengers in 2024 which translates into a 9.9 % growth.
HAL airport
The HAL airport in Bengaluru, which operates charter and VIP flights, handled 10,509 passengers as against 10,188 passengers in 2024 reporting a marginal growth of 3.1%.
The HAL airport served as Bengaluru’s primary airport for decades until it ceased commercial flight operations in 2008, following the opening of the KIA at Devanahalli.
Published – September 26, 2025 10:49 am IST
